Kernave (Sirvintos District) - on a red field in silver the
opening of a crumbling mural gate guarded by an armed silver
warrior with blue tunic, holding a silver saber and golden
shield, from the warrior's right shoulder to left hip bent a red
band, on his helmet three ostrich feathers: blue, golden, blue;
under the charge in golden letters the motto "Verciau gyvybe
prarasiu negu laisve" ("I will loose life rather than
freedom"). Flag proportions 5:6, fringe is golden, finial is
a golden knob.
Kernave has a long and famed history: first mentioned in 1279, it
was one of the main centres of early Lithuania, even the capital
of Lithuania in the late 13th century (the legendary tradition
calls Kernave "the first capital", though historically
this is not true, because Vilnius was the capital before). But in
the late 14th century Kernave city was destroyed by the Teutonic
Order, and its real revival did not happen due to the long war
and growth of other (surviving) cities. So the arms were
granted only in 1792. The arms are intended to express
both the famed past and the reality of late 18th century: the
ruined city was like the dying state, but it could be saved by
granting freedom to citizens, and it is worthy of life.Virginijus Misiunas, 29 December 2009